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Revision of Delitzsch's Hebrew New Testament

According to the Trinitarian Bible Society's'179th Annual Report & Financial Statements for the year ended 31st December 2009'

"Our Hebrew New Testament revision project was only commenced about twelvemonths ago, but has benefitted from a top-class team of specialists working upon it in Israel throughout that period. Although progress has been painstaking rather than spectacular, the Gospel according to John has now been finished in draft form. It has taken a while to establish the methodology of the project—the primary aim is to

conform the well-known and much-loved Delitzsch Hebrew New Testament edition more closely to the Textus Receptus Greek, as close scrutiny of the translator’s work has identified someareas that need improvement.

At the same time, opportunity is being taken to revise Hebrew words and phrases that are manifestly difficult to understand. No unnecessary changes will be made, as it is important that the Biblical Hebrew style of the Delitzsch be maintained. In many instances where words and phrases will have to be adjusted, it is hoped that use may be made of the vocabulary of the Hebrew Old Testament, i.e., the Biblical text underlying that portion of the Authorised Version."

I only hope they can get it finished in timely manner. That definitely seems -- at least at this point -- to be the exact type of project that is needed, and it also appears that they are keeping the Delitzsch pedigree intact, unlike the Keran/DLZ.

They have been working on this for a little over two and half years now. And, I think they are going to be very thorough. It will be exciting to see a fresh typesetted version of a classic.

Although, I doubt it, I sure hope they are using Bibleworks for this project, and if so will provide the electronic database to Bibleworks users.

That doesn't bode well for the near future, not unless they are really going to speed things up. I would be interested in seeing a first draft of what they just produced on John.

I know modern Hebrew has some pretty real idiomatic differences from the Tanach, but on the whole they are not anywhere near as bad as some people would like to make out. Yes, they exist, but for the most part they are not by any stretch of the imagination crippling.

So I hope they are not going hog-wild in their alterations, because I DO think it is possible to remain faithful to Delitzsch and still render the legitimate idiomatic changes into a really good translation.

Delitzsch's goal, it needs to be remembered, was to render a translation of the NT into biblical Hebrew. There are certainly modern Hebrew translations of the NT in Israel today like "Targum Hadash," which I have. I won't say I don't appreciate them; I do. However, the most useful feature of Delitzsch's Hebrew NT is that the biblical Hebrew that he uses enables allusions to OT passages to be much more recognizable and discernible. I, for one, would not want Delitzsch's biblical Hebrew disposition to be tampered with in the slightest in any future revisions that are made.

Delitzsch's goal, it needs to be remembered, was to render a translation of the NT into biblical Hebrew. There are certainly modern Hebrew translations of the NT in Israel today like "Targum Hadash," which I have. I won't say I don't appreciate them; I do. However, the most useful feature of Delitzsch's Hebrew NT is that the biblical Hebrew that he uses enables allusions to OT passages to be much more recognizable and discernible. I, for one, would not want Delitzsch's biblical Hebrew disposition to be tampered with in the slightest in any future revisions that are made.

Yes, I agree completely. Let's hope this new translation is faithful to that philosophy.

Delitzsch's goal, it needs to be remembered, was to render a translation of the NT into biblical Hebrew...I, for one, would not want Delitzsch's biblical Hebrew disposition to be tampered with in the slightest in any future revisions that are made.

ISalzman,

Did, you seriously imagine the TBS forgot Delitzsch primary goal?
Fortunately, the TBS anticipated this question and thus they prepared an answer ahead of time. Look at what they wrote:

"No unnecessary changes will be made, as it is important that the Biblical Hebrew style of the Delitzsch be maintained. In many instances where words and phrases will have to be adjusted, it is hoped that use may be made of the vocabulary of the Hebrew Old Testament, i.e., the Biblical text underlying that portion of the Authorised Version."(Trinitarian Bible Society – 179th Annual Report)

Here, they are clearly talking about two things:
(1) maintaing the Biblical Hebrew style of Delitzsch
(2) making sure the quotations of the Hebrew Bible/OT in the NT match up with the massoretic text.